ABU DHABI // Hospitals and clinics that fail to dispose of medical waste safely could face fines and temporary closure, a Ministry of Health official has warned. "We will fine any facility that does not comply with the regulations," said Dr Najwa Kamalboor, from the preventive medicine department. "It is very important for everyone that the waste is disposed of properly, especially for the people working in the hospital." In serious cases hospitals could be closed, she said.
Health bodies are strictly enforcing rules about the disposal of medical waste to avert threats to public health inside and outside the facilities. Inspection teams across the Emirates are checking that hospitals and clinics are following regulations, which include separating the waste into strict categories such as sharp objects, dressings and general administrative waste. Residents of Sharjah recently complained that exposed needles and bloodstained dressings were being illegally dumped in public rubbish bins. Officials from the ministry, which has jurisdiction over the northern Emirates, said it was working closely with the municipality to eradicate this practice.
Dr Ziad Memish, director of the GCC's Centre for Infection Control, said proper waste management was essential: "You want to prevent any disease transmission and keep the environment clean and safe. Every facility needs to follow certain rules otherwise it will be complete chaos, and dangerous." All health ministries and health authorities in the GCC had their own policies on waste management, he said, but it was essential that authorities ensured they were implemented properly from start to finish.
"There must be policies, inspections and penalties for those who do not manage their medical waste correctly," he said. "It poses a very big public health risk that should not be underestimated. "Sharp objects which could injure people, and microbiology samples that contain viruses, should not be in a public place under any circumstances." Dr Mansour al Zarouni, the chairman of infection control at Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, said some of the smaller, private clinics were cutting corners to keep costs down.
"This should not happen but it does," he said. "Some of the smaller clinics will think it is not that important. The worrying part is that certain bacteria can stay on medical waste a long time and then be passed through the air or by touch. Things like Hepatitis B and C are very easily transferred." The health authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have their own policies on waste management. The Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD), in its policy on Medical Waste Management in Health Care Facilities issued in May 2007, says infectious waste accounts for 15 to 25 per cent of the total; sharps waste - anything that can pierce the skin - about one per cent, body parts also one per cent; chemical or pharmaceutical three per cent. These are the most dangerous types of medical waste.
It adds: "Sharps waste, although produced in small quantities, is highly infectious. Poorly managed, they expose health care workers, waste handlers and the community to infections." The policy insists waste is split into specific categories using marked, coloured bags and containers. Dr Jamal al Kaabi, head of the hospital and clinical inspection section at HAAD, said ignoring the strict regulations was not acceptable.
"Facilities need to separate all their waste and follow the HAAD policy," he said. "They must not put non-medical waste with medical waste because it poses a risk both inside and outside the hospital. We look for problems where a doctor is putting paper, for example, in with medical waste produce. This is not the standard that is required. It needs to be separated properly and collected by a specialist company. Mixing them is not acceptable."
Dr Kaabi said HAAD had been routinely checking that hospitals and clinics had infection control and waste management policies in place but was now becoming more vigilant in checking they were implemented. "I would also like to introduce more continuing medical education lectures to help professionals understand the importance of this subject." munderwood@thenational.ae